Rocky Drabbles
by case1se
Summary: This will be a series of drabbles depicting scenes between Adrian and Rocky throughout the course of the Rocky series.
1. Rocky teaches Adrian to box

**Rocky teaches a reluctant Adrian how to box**

"C'mon Adrian you won't break nothin' I promise. Now hit it like you mean it," Rocky said as he steadied the bag from behind. Adrian looked up at him, feeling extremely uncomfortable standing in the baggy grey sweatsuit Rocky had pushed her into wearing. Her slender arms hung at her sides, bright red gloves dragging them down like lead weights.

"Rocky I'm no good at this. I'm not a fighter. Please let's just stop." Adrian mumbled as she looked down, scuffing her feet.

"Yo Adrian, you're no good because you're not trying. And don't tell me you're not a fighter. You're the toughest person I know. Now look here, watch what I do." Rocky came out from behind the heavy bag and came to stand next to Adrian.

"Now you gotta punch long and extend your arms if you wanna hit hard." Rocky said as he lined his arm up with the bag. "Watch me," He said and then hit the bag with a bruising left jab.

"Now you try."

Adrian wearily lifted her arms and gave a halfhearted attempt at a right jab, her glove glancing off of the bag and falling heavily to her side. She sighed in frustration and looked up at Rocky's face, hoping against hope that he would see that she wasn't going to get better and just drop this silly idea already. But she knew better than to think her stubborn fighter of a husband would give up so easily.

"C'mon Adrian, you can hit harder than that. I've seen you swat Paulie with more power." Adrian smiled despite herself. Rocky smiled back as he positioned himself behind her, grabbing hold of her wrapped wrists. He leaned down so his chin rested on her thin shoulder and pulled her left arm up by her face as he pushed the right out into the bag.

"Y'see you always gotta keep your guard up to protect your face. I like your teeth where they are." Rocky laughed.

"If you're supposed to always protect yourself, why do you let the other fighters hit you in the face so much?" Adrian retorted.

"I don't know, I guess I should take my own advice." Rocky chuckled and shook his head. "Let's try again."

Rocky again pushed Adrian's fist out so it hit the bag a little harder this time. Then again. And again. Each time Adrian hit a little bit harder and Rocky pushed a little bit softer. Soon enough, he stepped back and watched as Adrian hit over and over again. His face lit up with a goofy grin as he watched Adrian's shy smile shift into a grim look of determination.

Adrian's hits got harder and faster as she became more comfortable with the motions, eventually switching from right to left and back again. There was something relaxing and cathartic about pounding away at the bag.

When her hands began to hurt Adrian stepped back, looking over at her husband as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her arm. Rocky looked back at his wife with a wide grin. Adrian was looking more disheveled than he'd ever seen her; pieces of hair hanging down into her eyes and sweat dripping down her temples. Her thin chest heaved under her sweatshirt as she fought to get her breath back.

"Yo Adrian, you did it. I knew you had it in you!" Rocky said as he grabbed her in a hug and gave her a quick peck. He reached down to undo the laces of the gloves, pausing to kiss the swollen knuckles of each hand as they were exposed. Adrian glanced up from her hands to his face and stood up on tiptoes to place another longer kiss on Rocky's lips.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly as she kissed him once more.

"I knew you was a fighter," Rocky whispered back.

A few weeks later Rocky was sitting in the living room watching t.v. with Butkus when he heard the front door slam open as Adrian stormed in and tossed her purse onto a side table. Rocky looked up worriedly from the screen. "Yo Adrian, what's wrong?"

"Ooh that Paulie makes me so mad I could just...Ugh!" Adrian ranted as she pulled off her coat and flung it onto a chair. Rocky sat frozen but his eyes followed her as she stomped across the living room and down the basement stairs. Rocky stood up and walked over to the steps. He was just about to walk down to see if Adrian was all right when he heard the familiar rhythmic sounds of punches landing on the heavy bag. Instead of interrupting, Rocky just shook his head and smiled.

"I always knew you was a fighter."


	2. Rocky buying the turtles

**Rocky buying the turtles**

_Ding._

Adrian looked up from the fish tanks towards the door to the pet shop, bright orange flakes falling from her suddenly still fingers. In the doorway stood a hulking figure in a black leather jacket and lumpy black hat. The man's hands were curled loosely into fists and he seemed to be practicing punches. Adrian caught herself staring and quickly looked down at her own sensible shoes.

She returned to feeding the fish, stealing glimpses of the dark stranger from between the tanks. Adrian watched as he strolled around the shop, chafing his large hands. He paused by the pen in the window, whistling and petting the puppies playing there. Adrian looked on worriedly; afraid they might be frightened by this brute, but they wriggled and nosed their way into the man's hands, fighting for room. Adrian fought to hide her smile as she moved across the shop to a solitary cage that held a giant bull mastiff. The dog had been found roaming the streets a few days ago but no one had come yet to claim him. Adrian placed a food dish in the dog's cage; looking up through her bangs at the man who had moved on from the puppies and was standing near the fish tanks.

Adrian straightened and turned to the man. She fidgeted with the watch on her lapel, squaring her shoulders before lifting her chin.

"C-Can I help you?" She stammered, not meeting the man's eyes.

"Yeah...yeah." The man paused, turning to face her. "I was just lookin' to get an animal. Somethin' small though, I don't got a lotta room." He shrugged his large shoulders and chafed his hands again.

"Uh...well we've got some nice birds if you'd like." Adrian gestured over to the cages near the windows. "Or fish are easy to take care of…" She trailed off as the mastiff at her feet started barking. Suddenly the man crouched down, poking his fingers through the cage and letting out a loud bellowing sound. Adrian jumped as the man and dog continued to howl.

"Hey, yo buddy, how you doin' today?" The man asked as he stroked the dog's nose through the mesh of the cage. "Does he have a name?" He asked without taking his eyes off of the dog.

"No, he didn't have a collar when we found him." Adrian answered without thinking.

"Well, a dog's gotta have a name…" the man trailed off, looking deeply into the dog's eyes. "How's about Butkus? Do ya like that buddy?"

The mastiff barked again, raising a paw to scratch at the cage door.

"I think he likes it. Yo Butkus!" The dog barked again, and the man straightened from his crouch.

"Yo, you're Paulie's sister yeah?" The man said, shrugging his shoulders.

Adrian froze, surprised, then nodded minutely.

"I don't know if he ever mentioned me, but me and Paulie go way back. I'm Rocky, by the way, Rocky Balboa. And you are?" The man waved one of his large hands in her direction.

Adrian swallowed but said nothing.

The man waved the extended hand again. "And you are?"

"Adrian," she whispered finally, glancing up into the man's surprisingly bright brown eyes.

"Adrian," Rocky said back, holding her gaze. "Yo Adrian, I already got a fish. His name's Moby Dick, see. He's just a goldfish but he's pretty nice I guess. I dunno," he continued as if they hadn't been interrupted at all. He turned around and started wandering back through the pet shop, occasionally bending down and peering into tanks and cages; poking his fingers into cages and tapping on glass.

"What about a dog?" Adrian asked, following behind him at a distance.

"Too big and too rich for my blood. I don't got much room in my place for a dog. I was thinking something a lot smaller. And cheap too. I don't got too much extra spending money. I can barely even afford to pay attention some days, you know?" Rocky laughed and smiled back at Adrian. She looked down at the floor, feeling a smile spreading across her face involuntarily. She shook her head and composed herself before looking back up, but the twinkle in Rocky's eyes suggested that she hadn't done a very good job.

"What do you think about turtles?" Rocky continued as he turned back to the tanks. He leaned down, looking into a tank where two turtles were submerged in a pool of water, one on top of the other. Adrian inched closer, also leaning down to look in the tank.

"Turtles are nice," she murmured, sliding her gaze from the tank to look down at Rocky's face as he continued to stare at the turtles. Adrian's eyes took in his strong, straight nose, full lips, and strong jaw. She glanced quickly away as Rocky looked back up at her. Rocky smiled and clapped his hands together, rubbing them briskly.

"Turtles it is. Now what does a turtle eat?"


	3. You never told me why you really fight

_**You never told me why you really fight**_

"You know, you never did tell me why you fight."

Adrian shifted her head from Rocky's shoulder to look up into his eyes. Her small arms tightened around his chest as he looked back down at her.

"Hmmm?" Rocky mumbled as he rubbed his large hands up Adrians slim back.

Adrian reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face and burrowed her chin into Rocky's chest. "Earlier, when I asked you why you fight, you never answered the question."

Rocky sighed. "Well, you know I've always been a fighter. Growin' up like I did, in the neighborhood y'know, it's a pretty rough life." He grimaced down at Adrian who smiled back up at him. "There wasn't a lot to look forward to at home either, you know, so I spent most of my time out on the streets. And you know I've always been a pretty big guy, so there's always some bum who thinks he can get a reputation as a tough guy by fighting the biggest guy around."

Adrian's face creased in a small frown.

"So, you got in trouble a lot then."

"Yeah, well I was never the best student, but getting kicked out of school for fighting didn't help none. I was pretty wild when I was a kid, you know. At least until I started really training to be a fighter. Before, I thought I'd probably end up in some factory somewhere. I never thought I could make a livin' fighting."

"So, that's the only reason?" Adrian asked.

Rocky grimaced again, rolling his shoulders to look up at the ceiling. "C'mon Adrian, what do you wanna hear? That I hate my crummy life and my crummy apartment? That fighting's the only thing that makes me feel like I'm not a bum? That it might be my only ticket out of this dump heap of a neighborhood?"

Adrian reached up, lightly touching her fingers to Rocky's chin. He looked down, meeting her eyes. "I think you fight because it makes you feel powerful. I think it gives you a sense of purpose. I envy that."

Rocky pulled Adrian's fingers to his lips, kissing them softly. "Yo, Adrian, you're stronger than you think. It takes more than guts to live with Paulie as long as you have."

Adrian laughed and smiled wider. Rocky pulled her up farther and rolled over so they were face to face laying on the pillow.

"Hey, Adrian, did you hear the one about the butcher who backed into the meat grinder?" Rocky whispered softly. "He got a little behind in his work."

Adrian's giggles were smothered by Rocky's sudden kiss. She curled her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. After a few minutes, Adrian pulled back, panting lightly.

"I don't think you're a bum," she said tenderly, brushing her thumb down his cheek. Rocky just smiled back at her, shaking his head, and leaned over to kiss her lightly on the forehead.


	4. Adrian noticing Rocky in Robert

_**Adrian noticing Rocky in Robert**_

Adrian loved days like this. Days when Rocky didn't have a fight and they could just stay home with Robert and be a family. Days when she'd make spaghetti, Rocky's favorite, while Rocky played games with Robert in the living room.

She came out of the kitchen, wiping soapy hands off on her apron, to see Rocky and Robert both sprawled out on their stomachs on the carpet; feet waggling in the air, propped up on their elbows, pushing toy cars around the floor, making little noises as they played. Adrian watched them for a moment, their faces obscured by the same thick black hair.

Adrian noticed the similarities all the time: in the way that Robert would square his shoulders when he was nervous. Or when she caught him practicing punches in the mirror over the sink when he didn't know she was looking.

Adrian was pulled from her thoughts by a tugging on her apron. "Mommy!"

She smiled down into Robert's small face, brushing the hair off of his forehead.

"What is it honey?" she asked, glancing over to Rocky, still lounging on the carpet, surrounded by cars. There was a sly smirk on his face that made her narrow her eyes.

"Knock, Knock"

Adrian grinned and shook her head. "Who's there?"

"Boo!" Robert cried.

"Boo who?"

"Don't cry Mommy, it's just a joke!" Robert yelled and then collapsed in uncontrollable giggling. Adrian chuckled and looked over at Rocky who was laying on his back, laughing and holding his stomach.

"Okay, wise guys. Clean up the living room, it's time for dinner." Adrian watched Robert walk back to Rocky and start putting away the cars.

"Hey kid," Rocky said, pulling Robert in close. "What's that in your ear?" Rocky pulled a toy car out from behind Robert's head. "Yo, that's not a good place to keep your toys, you know." Robert giggled again.

Adrian rolled her eyes, smiling, and turned back into the kitchen to set the table.


	5. Rocky noticing Adrian in Robert

_**Rocky noticing Adrian in Robert**_(set somewhere before Rocky V before they leave the mansion)

"Rocky?" Adrian said as she settled down on the couch. Rocky lifted an arm, pulling her in close and placing a soft kiss on her cheek. He frowned when she didn't respond.

"Yo, why the long face?" He asked, turning her chin up to look at him. Adrian curled deeper into his arms, crossing her own tightly across her chest.

"Oh, I'm worried about Robert. Rocky, I wish you'd go talk to him. I think he's having a hard time in school."

"The kid's having a tough time? Is it his grades, because honestly Adrian he's absolutely smarter than I am. I don't know if I'd be such a big help." Rocky shrugged.

"It's not his schoolwork, it's the other kids. I think he's lonely." Adrian sighed. "I never hear about any new friends he's making, and he never brings anyone over. I'm worried. What if he has no one to talk to? That can be hard for a kid." Adrian trailed off and looked down at the floor, wringing her hands.

Rocky smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Don't you worry about nothin'. I'll go talk to the kid."

Rocky got up and walked upstairs to Robert's room. The door was open and Robert was sitting on his bed, reading a book. He looked up when he heard Rocky's knock on the open door.

"Hey Dad," Robert smiled, putting down his book. "What's up?"

"Ah, nuthin' kid. Just checkin' in." Rocky mumbled. "Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Rocky came in and sat down on the end of the bed. He looked around the room, noticing the drawing board in the corner, the well organized book shelf by the window, the fight posters covering the wall. A flash of movement caught his eye and drew his attention to the fish tank behind Robert's head. Bright yellow fish swam lazily between bright leafy greens and blue stones.

"Yo, these fish are pretty colorful, you know. Did you pick these out yourself? They're beautiful."

Robert glanced back at the aquarium. "Mom helped me pick them out. She said they looked like candy." He said, shaking his head.

Rocky smiled, rubbing a finger down the smooth glass.

"Yeah, she always did have a good eye for animals. You got that from her." Rocky laughed. "I'm just lucky turtles are so tough. Not many animals could've lasted so long in my old place, y'know."

Robert laughed.

"So, Dad, did you want to talk about something?"

"Oh, yeah, well I was wondering, if you aren't busy or nothing, maybe you wanna go outside and play some ball with your old man? I tell ya, I was a mean stickball player when I was your age."

"I don't know, Dad. I've got a lot of homework to do still." Robert mumbled, picking at the comforter.

"C'mon kid, it'll be fun. We'll call your friends over, make a game out of it. Whaddaya say?"

"I don't think so, Dad." Robert said quietly. Rocky put a hand under Robert's chin, lifting it up to meet his eyes.

"Yo, kid, why the long face? What? Are you ashamed of your old man?"

Robert looked away and shrugged off Rocky's hand.

"No, Dad, I'm not ashamed of you. I just don't really wanna hang out with any of my friends from school." He grimaced. "If you can even call them friends."

"What d'you mean?"

Robert sighed heavily. "Nothing. It's just that whenever we hang out all they want to talk about is you. They don't really like me. They just like me because the son of 'Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion'."

Rocky shook his head, letting out a wearied sigh of his own.

"Yo, kid, I'm sorry. You know I never want to hurt you right? You're number one. Home Team, right?" Rocky held out a fist. Robert hesitated a minute before bumping it back.

"Yeah, home team."

"Now listen, I know you don't wanna hang out with those bums from school, but isn't there anyone at that school that you like?"

Robert looked thoughtful.

"Well, there is this girl in my math class that I think is nice. She's really smart and pretty. But she'd never notice me. She sits in front of me in class but I don't think she even knows who I am."

Rocky chuckled. "Y'know, your mother put me through the same thing when we first met."

Robert brightened a little, looking up. "Nah, really?"

"Oh yeah." Rocky leaned back, stretching out his arms. "You're a lot like her, you know. Very smart, very careful. You're thinkers, the both of you. Me, I'm more of a 'punch first, think later' kind of guy, you know."

"Anyway, when I first met your mother, she was working at the pet shop back in the old neighborhood. At first, I would stop by just to be nice to Paulie's sister. But she was so shy I couldn't ever get her to even look at me. Every day, I'd come by and I'd tell her a joke and every night I'd go by and tell her a joke. And she'd just stand there, silent, like I was a plate of leftovers."

Robert laughed.

"But you know what. Even though she never said anything, wouldn't even look at me, every once in a while I'd see her glance up when she thought I wasn't looking. And sometimes, when I told a particularly bad joke or made a fool out of myself and just wanted to give up entirely, I'd see this tiny, tiny smile on her face, so small I thought I was just seeing things." Rocky looked to the door, smiling to himself.

"But I knew, kid. I knew the first minute I seen her that your mother was the best girl in all Philly." He paused, pulling Robert into a hug. "And she gave me the best kid in the whole world." He leaned in to plant a big sloppy kiss on Robert's cheek.

"Daaaaad! Gross."

"I love ya, kid."

"Love you too, Dad."

"So what I'm saying is drop those bums, and don't give up on this girl." Rocky looked up at the ceiling, trying to be serious and failing miserably. "Y'know I think I've got a math joke you could use…"

Robert grinned. "Oh, yeah?"

"What does the Little Mermaid wear?"

"I don't know, what?"

"An algae-bra!"


End file.
